Rioting and looting erupted across Europe following the highly disputed killing of a teenager in Paris, while President Emmanuel Macron faced criticism for attending a concert by Elton John
while his country faced turmoil.
As violent clashes continued in the French capital after the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel, President Macron was photographed arm in arm with Elton John at Paris's Accor Arena, where the singer was performing on his farewell tour. Meanwhile, protests and unrest engulfed major cities in France for a third consecutive night.
Protesters set cars on fire, erected road barricades, and confronted police, with some defacing buildings and bus shelters with messages demanding justice for Nahel. The situation further escalated as reports emerged of clashes spreading to the Belgian capital, Brussels, raising concerns about potential protests in other European cities.
To restore order, approximately 40,000 French police officers have been deployed nationwide. However, Macron's appearance with Elton John sparked outrage, with MEP Thierry Mariani from Marine Le Pen's National Rally party criticizing the president for his presence at the concert while France was in turmoil.
Despite the police officer involved in the shooting being charged with voluntary homicide, the violence continued. Social media footage also indicated that riots had erupted in parts of Belgium in response to Nahel's killing. Riot police in body armor faced off against protesters who set cars ablaze and used fireworks as weapons.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced an increase in police presence, with more than quadruple the number of officers deployed and additional measures to restore order. While no state of emergency has been declared, the government emphasized a firm response to the unrest.
The protests and clashes persisted for a third night in France, with the wreckage of burnt cars lining the streets. Bus and tram services were temporarily halted in the Paris area, and some towns, including Clamart and Neuilly-sur-Marne, implemented overnight curfews due to the risk of further disturbances.
The violence even reached Marseille, where several hundred young people set fire to rubbish containers and engaged in clashes with police. In Brussels, scuffles related to the shooting led to several arrests and the burning of at least one car.
The shooting incident, captured on video, has deeply shocked the country and reignited long-standing tensions between the police and young people in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The family and lawyers of the teenager, whose full name and background have not been disclosed, have not made any claims regarding the incident being racially motivated. Photo by Presidencia de la República Mexicana, Wikimedia commons.